Summary
- Psychological horror games offer deeper scares through narrative and themes, not just jump scares.
- Some games, like Doki Doki Literature Club, are free and serve as great entry points to the genre.
- Games like Soma prioritize moral dilemmas over scares, making them a must-play for psychological horror fans.
Psychological horror is one of the bread-and-butter gaming subgenres, as these titles tend to stray away from typical jumpscare fests in favor of something more in-depth. These games often spin complicated narratives that gain more clarity as the game progresses, usually culminating in a twist ending that throws players off.
Sometimes they delve into rather serious and dark topics at the heart of the story, which might make these games rather daunting for those who are new to the genre. However, gamers need not fear. There are games out there that are ideal for those who have never experienced psychological horror before.
Related
Most Unnerving Psychological Horror Games
These psychological horror games unnerve players in a deeper way than jump scares ever can.
7
Doki Doki Literature Club
Psychological Horror For Free
When venturing forth into a new interest, most will resign themselves to having to fork over some hard-earned cash to get started. But one of the benefits of gaming as a hobby is that, occasionally, players can snag a great bargain. This is the case for Doki Doki Literature Club, available for a grand total of $0. In this psychological horror dressed up as a dating sim, the player is an ordinary student who joins a literature club at his best friend’s behest, growing closer to the other members and writing poetry to share with them.
7:13
Related
Steams offers countless horror games that fans of the genre are sure to love. Here are some of the best ones available on the platform.
Even with the warning given ahead of time, very little can prepare the players for the horrors that lie ahead, which arrive as a shock for even the hardiest of horror aficionados. Delving deep into psychological horror littered with disturbing imagery, this game is not for the faint of heart. The cute graphics and wholesome first hour of playtime hide many dark secrets.
6
Layers of Fear
The Absence of Combat Removes Any Overwhelming Challenges
Most gamers have heard the term “walking simulator,” which describes a game where the only real mechanic is simply moving forward. While Layers of Fear was not the pioneer of this genre, it is a famous example , especially within the community of horror games. As a nameless painter who is desperate to finish working on what he thinks will be his crowning achievement, the player will guide him through a labyrinthian mansion as more about his buried past is unveiled.
The player’s actions have an impact on what ending they will achieve, but either way, the truth is revealed about the tragic direction his life turned, and explains the break in his psyche that he is struggling with now. This shocking twist makes the psychological horror aspect of this game hit even harder.
5
The Dark Pictures: Little Hope
The Game Doesn’t Wear Out Its Welcome
The second installment in the Dark Pictures Anthology was Little Hope, completely separate from the first game in the series. This standalone game introduces a new cast of characters who are on a writers’ retreat with their college professor, John, when the bus crashes, leaving them stranded in the eponymous town. Any efforts to leave the town’s boundaries deposit them back inside, so with no other options available, they walk further inside to look for help.
There is about as much help to find in this town as there is hope, as the characters find themselves seeing visions of the past and terrifying ghosts. These ghosts hunt them through the entire game right to the bitter ending, which reveals there is more afoot here. The Dark Pictures always has a twist up its sleeve, but Little Hope’s firmly lands it in the realm of psychological horror. Luckily for players short on time, the game reaches this conclusion in about 5 hours, so players who don’t want to be bogged down by a lengthy game will find this one the perfect fit.
4
Detention
Simple Mechanics, But Plenty of Scares
RedCandle have already made forays into the psychological horror genre, with one of their most successful outings being Detention. Set during the White Terror period in Taiwan, students Wei and Ray find themselves trapped in their school after a storm cuts off their escape. Players take on the role of Ray, as she explores the school during their imprisonment there. She sees terrifying visions sometimes, with one involving seeing Wei’s corpse strung up in the Auditorium.
From then on, Ray must carefully explore the school. Players must complete puzzles to progress while taking care to avoid the terrifying ghosts that now haunt the school, which Ray can avoid by holding her breath as she passes by. Despite the rather simple style of the game, it packs more of a punch than expected with the psychological scares. Still, newcomers shouldn’t fear too much, as they won’t be completely overwhelmed.
3
Alan Wake
Heavy on the Narrative for Those Who Enjoy Stories
While Alan Wake 2 has eclipsed the success of its predecessor, Alan Wake is the game to start with for newcomers, as the second game does rely on the player having some knowledge of prior events. Playing as the titular writer who found fame with popular crime novels, Alan hits a slump in his writing. His wife Alice takes him on a vacation to the scenic Bright Falls in hopes to get the creative juices flowing, but they get more than they bargained for when the horror begins.
From there on, the game devolves into a nightmare. Alan must find a way to save Alice while fending off shadowy creatures with the use of light, as that is the one force they are vulnerable to. While it may not sound like a psychological horror to begin with, the story develops as the game progresses, which is certain to put players’ mental fortitude to the test.
2
Soma
Prioritizes Difficult Questions and Moral Dilemmas Over Scares
Frictional Games have been scaring players for years now, kicking off their horror career with Penumbra and Amnesia before releasing Soma in 2015, which may be their greatest game so far. Gamers play as Simon Jarrett, a man who recently suffered a brain injury in an accident. He agrees to partake in an experimental brain scan, which does more than just take a peek at his brain. It uploads his entire consciousness into a robot body stuck in a research facility known as Pathos-II, which has fallen to wreck and ruin. Other survivors are pumped with a facsimile of life from machines, and are more surviving than really living.
Guided by the voice of the scientist Catherine, Simon sets out to launch Ark, which is said to be the ticket out of here. However, the ending is something no one could have predicted, resulting in one of the bleakest conclusions in gaming history. This ending, and indeed some of the decisions and scenes throughout the game, raise some fascinating questions about what it means to be human, and if machines are living beings. These questions and moral dilemmas are at the forefront of the game much more than monsters, which players can even make harmless by playing in safe mode. For those looking to delve into the psychological aspect of psychological horror, Soma cannot be recommended enough.
1
Silent Hill 2
A Shining Example of the Genre
For a person to think that their late wife penned and sent a letter three years after her death seems like utter madness, or at the very least a strong sense of denial and wishful thinking. But this is the item in James’s hand at the start of Silent Hill 2, which he claims was sent to him even though she has long since been dead. This letter is what brought him back to their ‘special place,’ the scenic vacationing spot known as Silent Hill. But it is neither scenic, nor somewhere that anyone would ever want to spend their well-earned vacationing time, as this place is filled with nothing but monsters.
The player travels to various locations in the town, and meets others such as Laure, Eddie, Angela, and Maria, the latter of whom bears an uncanny resemblance to James’s wife Mary. Players are often left wondering if these people are even real as they explore the town, kill a few monsters, and flee in terror from Pyramid Head up until the game’s bitter conclusion. This shocking ending was just the cherry on top of this masterpiece of a game, as it truly is one of the best examples of psychological horror. Players don’t need to have played the first to delve in. The remake has made Silent Hill highly accessible now, meaning there is no excuse not to play it.
Related
Best Horror Games That Explore Mature Themes
These excellent horror games explore dark and mature themes, sticking with players long after credits roll.
